Page 43 of A Devious Arrangement

The room is heavy with silence as the entire Everette family looks between us, and then it erupts into chaos. Each member speaks over the next. The kids play into the energy and start running around, chasing each other until the place reaches a peak level of noise.

Xander’s the only one not saying anything. Instead, he’s looking at his brother with one raised eyebrow. He doesn’t look mad so much as peeved that he didn’t know.

“Alright, alright. Settle down,” Scarlet says, and they go quiet. She holds herself and leaves no room for argument. She reaches out a delicate hand to me. “Now that you’re here, come hang out with us.”

Misty and Scarlet share a look when I don’t immediately take it, and each grasps one of my hands, pulling me deeper into the house, not letting me go until I’ve fully entered the living room.

Once my shock runs out, I default to years of etiquette. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to intrude.”

I’ve known Scarlet most of my life. Not that we’ve ever been close. My brother and I would only go to events if they were absolutely necessary. Neither of us wanted to spend more time pretending in front of everyone that everything was fine than we had to.

Misty joined the Order of Saints circle several years ago, and each time we’ve met, she’s been a little ball of sunshine. She squeezes my hand, and some of her warmth seeps into me, and my shoulders relax.

She leans in close. “By the look of it, Bash set you up.”

Scarlet laughs. It’s friendly, like she’s welcoming me to laugh with her. “Everette brothers definitely have an odd way of flirting.”

I tuck my chin in and shake my head before I can think better of it. “Oh, it’s not like that.”

Since Bash didn’t tell me this was happening, I didn’t have a chance to prepare anything to say. “Um…I mean… We’re just getting started.”

Bash snorts and has to apologize to the startled baby.

“Come on, kids. Come make your introductions,” Misty calls out to them. Her voice is light and singsong-like.

One of the girls groans from where she’s seated on the ground, coloring. “Do we have to?”

I hold my hands up. “It’s really okay. That’s not necessary.”

Damon steps up to us, and Misty lets go of my hand as he pulls her into his side. “I once told your mother she doesn’t have to do anything she doesn’t want to do. But you two have to do whatever she asks.”

“Come on. Looks like Bash got you chicken fingers and fries, so let’s hurry up and get this over with,” Xander says, and surprisingly, all the kids do as he says.

Matthias joins us, and I do my best not to shrink away now that I’m surrounded. Do they not know how intimidating they are?

“I’m Olivia. I’m five years old, and my favorite color is blue.” The little girl looks up at Scarlet, her brown eyes wide waiting for approval.

“Great job, Livy.” It’s Matthias who responds, settling his enormous hand over her head and ruffling it.

She squeals and squirms away, hollering something about how he messed up her clips.

Not to be outdone, a boy with golden hair and honey eyes stares up at her. “I’m Tucker. Four years old, and when I grow up, I want to wash cars.”

I swallow my laugh. “Sounds very honorable.”

“Last week, you wanted to milk cows.” A second girl comes up. She has springy, curly hair and is missing several teeth. “I’m Finley, five, and Olivia’s my cousin but also my best friend.”

Misty smiles at her and gives her the nod that lets her follow after her cousin.

There’s a shock of blond visible from where a boy peeks out from around Damon’s thick leg.

Misty drops down to her haunches and smiles encouragingly. “It’s okay. Just like we practiced.”

“Yeah, Wyon. Just like we practiced,” Tucker adds from beside me.

Gray eyes, round like an owl, meet mine as the small boy steps out from behind his father.

There’s a slight flush to his cheeks, but he pushes through, saying, “Orion Everette. Age three,” before chasing after Tucker.

---